In any emergency situation relating to the prevention of an
imminent release of a hazardous material, to the cleanup or disposal of a
hazardous material that has been released, or to the related mitigation of the
effects of a release of a hazardous material, the chief of the fire department
in whose jurisdiction the emergency situation is occurring or his designee is
responsible for primary coordination of the on-scene activities of all agencies
of the state, the United States government, and political subdivisions that are
responding to the emergency situation until the chief relinquishes that
responsibility to a representative of one of the responding public agencies and
so notifies that representative.

As used in this section, "hazardous material" means any
material that is designated as such under the "Hazardous Materials
Transportation Act," 88 Stat. 2156 (1975), 49 U.S.C. 1801, as amended, and
regulations adopted under it.